


Pushing the Limits

by mmmdraco



Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-17
Updated: 2012-07-17
Packaged: 2017-11-10 03:12:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/461597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mmmdraco/pseuds/mmmdraco
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I remember a night, not too long ago, when he let me drape a blanket (and myself) around his shoulders.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pushing the Limits

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: All characters are the property of Konomi-sensei. Thanks!

I remember a night, not too long ago, when he let me drape a blanket (and myself) around his shoulders.

It was a cold night, even for February, and we were at my house doing our homework. I helped Ryoma with his Japanese, and he helped me with my English. We didn't need much help either way, but it's nice to have someone there to assure you when you think you might have gotten question number seventeen wrong.

Our friendship, mine and Ryoma's, was one of immediacy. Since that first match, we've been testing each other's limits, and we just grow closer and closer. You might not know it just looking at us, but trust me -- Echizen Ryoma lets no one use him as an armrest -- except me]. That night, however, was payment of that. He was using me as a backrest -- his back against mine as he wrote his kanji journal entry for the week. My neck was stiff from leaning it forward to accomodate him as he kept leaning his head back and tapping his pen on his bottom lip as he thought about what to write next. It's something he only seems to do when he's leaning against me as I've never actually seen it, heard his fangirls mention it, or even seen it mentioned in one of Inui's notebooks (though they *are* hard to catch a glimpse of), but I know he's tapping his lip because at the end of the night it's red and almost puffy in the middle of his bottom lip. Sometimes, I'm glad it remains a mystery. And sometimes, I just want to see his face when he's frustrated because it doesn't happy often. Other times, I just want to watch him tap his lip in such a way that he ends up looking quite well-kissed afterward.

I finished up my essay for history class and leaned my head back to rest against Ryoma's head. "You almost done?" I knew the answer.

"Aa. Almost." I felt his back tremble slightly against my shoulders. "Momo-senpai..."

"A blanket?" I asked, already getting up to get one. He murmured his agreement and I looked to the orange and green monstrosity in the corner of the room that my aunt had made. I unfolded it and gave it a quick shake, then made to put it around Ryoma's shoulders.

I fully intended to drop the blanket on his head and have him glare at me. But, instead, I lowered my arms with the blanket and sat down and pulled him to my chest. He tensed up for a moment, then leaned against me again. This time, I could watch him. His hair stroked my chin, and tickled as he paused again to tilt his head back to thing. And indeed, he tapped his lip. I leaned forward to see what was frustrating him. "Ryoma, watch your stroke count. Assuming that's supposed to be 'horse', you have one too many." 

Ryoma made a noise of irritation and raced to fix his mistake. "Thanks. I thought that looked wrong." And he leaned back against me yet again, pushing me slightly. "Why are you so comfortable on both sides?" Ryoma asked suddenly.

I belt my breath catch in my throat. "I don't know. Maybe we just used to be one person and you fell off. It would explain who you're so short. But, now you're back in place. Boy -- whoever we used to be must have had the same sore neck that I do."

Ryoma turned his head. "Your neck is sore?"

I nodded.

"Here," he said, and reached up so that he was gently kneading the muscles in my neck with his arms wrapped around me from in front. Too quickly, it was all over, and my neck felt wonderful.

I waited until he settled back against my chest again. "Thanks. I needed that."

He smiled, though I could barely see it from my position. "If I make your neck sore again, let me know and I'll make it feel better. Okay, Momo-senpai?"

I unconsciously leaned down and rested my chin in his hair as he yawned and pushed away his notebook. "Ryoma..." I started.

"Yeah?"

"How far would you go for me, Ryoma?"

He looked up - confused. "Huh?"

"What's the greatest thing you would do for me - based on the relationship that we have?" I pulled the blanket together in front of him.

Ryoma paused briefly to think about the question, then gave his answer softly in the direction of his homework. "I would live for you, senpai."

"Eh?"

"A lot of people say they would die for you or would kill for you -- not realizing they are insults. But, I'd keep on living even if I didn't feel like it -- just to make you happy. Living is harder than dying. And you, for me?"

"I'll always push your limits."

He lay his head back again. "Good. I'll live; you push my limits. That sounds like a good forever."

A moment later, I realized the cheeky bastard had fallen asleep on me. I didn't have the heart to wake him. Besides, I remember thinking as I lay him down next to me and arranged the blanket over the two of us, if this made my neck sore again, he could always call it grip practice... and living.


End file.
